• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
Flour On My Face
  • Home
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Easy Freezer Meals
  • Canning Recipes
  • Alfredo Sauce
  • Instant Pot Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Shop
  • Alfredo Sauce
  • Canning
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Easy Freezer Meals
  • Food Dehydrator Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
×
Home » Pasta Recipes » Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs

Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs

Published: Mar 14, 2014 · Modified: Jan 11, 2022 by Arlene Mobley · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

My Baked Spaghetti recipe is one of my all time most requested family recipes.

Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs is easy to make and when you need to feed a crowd on a food budget this recipe fits the bill.

Oval baking pan with baked spaghetti and meatballs topped with melted mozzarella cheese.

But you can easily feed a smaller family twice with this recipe by serving half for dinner and freezing the other half to save for another night. Pasta recipes make a great freezer meal.

Most of the time I just make this recipe with a meat sauce and bake it in the oven. This time I decided to change it up a bit by making some homemade meatballs and layering them over the pasta before I baked it.

Baked Spaghetti Recipe, Baked Spaghetti Meatballs, HOmemade Meatball Recipe, Easy Baked Spaghetti, Easy Meatballs, Family Recipes

I am not going to admit to how many meatballs I ate! It turned out so good.

My husband and I were so stuffed we could hardly move after eating dinner that night and he claimed the leftovers for the next day.

It is really amazing how easy it is to change up a recipe that you have made for years just by making a little change and it turns into a new favorite family recipe.

A skillet filled with homemade meatballs simmering in spaghetti sauce.

Head to the bottom of this post to print and save this Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs recipe.

How to make homemade meatballs

The first thing we need to do to get this recipe going is to make the homemade meatballs.

You will need 2 ½ - 3 pounds of ground beef, Italian flavored bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, an egg and salt and pepper.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Dig your clean hands in to mix it up.

Make sure the bread crumbs are mixed in well. You don't want any pockets of bread crumbs in the middle of a meatball.

Brown the meatballs on all sides in a large skillet until they are mostly cooked through, about 30 minutes depending on the number and size of the meatballs.

Carefully pour off the accumulated grease. Pour half the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meatballs.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cooked the spaghetti noodles till el dente. Preheat the oven to 375 F. while the pasta is cooking.

If you bought a block of mozzarella cheese slice it into thin slices and set aside.

A block of fresh mozzarella cheese cut into thin slices on a plate.

Once the spaghetti noodles are cooked drain them well. I am using thin spaghetti noodles for this recipe but you can use regular spaghetti noodles if you like.

But there are a couple of reasons why I like the thin spaghetti versus regular spaghetti noodles.

The thin spaghetti really stretches this meal. I can feed at least 2 more adults when using thin spaghetti and the thin spaghetti noodles cook faster than regular spaghetti noodles.

It is a personal preference so use which ever type of spaghetti you like.

Pour the cooked and drain noodles back in the pot you cooked them in and pour the remaining half a jar of spaghetti sauce over them and mix well.

A large pot filled with cooked spaghetti noodles with sauce poured over them.

Make sure the pasta is covered evenly with sauce.

It looks like there isn't enough sauce but don't worry about that because we are going to pour the sauce the meatballs were cooked in over the entire baking dish.

Spaghetti noodles combined with pasta sauce in a large pot.

Carefully pour all the spaghetti into a large 13 by 9 baking pan and spread it evenly in the pan.

Meatballs covered in sauce in a skillet.

One at a time neatly place a meatball on top of the pasta until all the meatballs are covering the pasta in a single layer.

Carefully pour the spaghetti sauce the meatballs cooked in over the meatballs.

A skillet with simmering pasta sauce.

Now sprinkle or layer the mozzarella cheese over all the meatballs. Keep the cheese away from the edges.

We don't want a big mess of melted cheese to drip on the bottom of the oven when it starts to melt. I hate when that happens. 

A baking dish filled with spaghetti and meatballs with unmelted sliced mozzarella cheese before baking.

Bake the spaghetti and meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

A small dinner plate with a serving of baked spaghetti with meatballs.

This meal will easily serve 6-8 people. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

How to make Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs

Meatball Ingredients

  • 2½ to 3 pounds ground beef
  • ¾ cup Italian Bread Crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large egg

Baked Spaghetti Ingredients

  • 1 pound box thin spaghetti
  • 1 45 ounce jar Spaghetti sauce
  • 1 pound block mozzarella cheese or 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions To make the meatballs

  1. Mix the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.
  2. Roll about 28 medium meatballs.
  3. Brown the meatballs on all sides in a skillet.
  4. Pour off excess grease and pour half the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meatballs.
  5. Turn the meatballs down to low to simmer.
  6. Simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Cook the Pasta

  1. Bring a large pot to of salted water to a boil. Slice the mozzarella cheese if you are using a block of cheese instead of shredded.
  2. Add spaghetti noodles to boiling water and cook till el dente.
  3. Drain spaghetti well and return to the large pot.

To Assemble the Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

  1. Pour the remaining spaghetti sauce from the jar into the pot of pasta and mix well.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  3. Thinly slice the cheese if you are using a block of mozzarella cheese.
  4. Pour the spaghetti into a large baking pan.
  5. Arrange meatballs over the top of pasta.
  6. Pour the spaghetti sauce the meatballs cooked in over the meatballs in the baking dish.
  7. Arrange the sliced mozzarella in a single layer over the meatballs or sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the meatballs.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 20-30 minutes.
  9. Serves 6-8

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Cook time is an approximate combined time for the meatballs, pasta and baked spaghetti. Time will vary for each home cook.
  • Frozen meatballs can be used. Heat them according to the directions on the package.

More recipes you'll love

  • A white plate with 3 sliders made with homemade meatballs.
    Crock Pot Meatballs
  • A light blue plate with a serving of cooked spaghetti noodles with 3 meatballs with spaghetti sauce on top of the pasta
    How To Make Instant Pot Meatballs
  • Pepperoni Spaghetti in an aluminum pan before it is baked
    Baked Pepperoni Spaghetti
  • 3 homemade pepperoni Pizza Bombs on a plate with a bowl of dipping sauce in the background.
    Pepperoni Pizza Bombs

Print the Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe below

Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Oval baking pan with baked spaghetti and meatballs topped with melted mozzarella cheese.

Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face
This is a great recipe to feed a large family. Or you can divided the pasta and meatballs into two 8 by 8 baking dishes.  Serve one tray of Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs for dinner and freeze the other tray of Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs for another night. Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs is an easy freezer meal.
5 from 1 vote
Rate this Recipe
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Click here to add your own private recipe notes.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 18 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 18 minutes mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 905 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 3 pounds ground beef
  • ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound thin spaghetti
  • 45 ounce spaghetti sauce
  • 1 pound block mozzarella cheese or 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
Follow Flour On My Face on Pinterest

Instructions 

Make the meatballs

  • Mix the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.
  • Form about 28 medium meatballs.
  • Brown the meatballs on all sides in a skillet.
  • Pour off excess grease and pour half the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meatballs.
  • Turn the meatballs down to low to simmer. Simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Cook the Pasta

  • Bring a large pot to of salted water to a boil.Slice the mozzarella cheese if you are using a block of cheese instead of shredded.
  • Add spaghetti noodles to boiling water and cook till el dente.
  • Drain spaghetti well and return to the large pot.

Assemble the Baked Spaghetti & Meatball Dish

  • Pour the remaining spaghetti sauce from the jar into the pot of pasta and mix well.
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Thinly slice the cheese if you are using a block of mozzarella cheese.
  • Pour the spaghetti into a large baking pan.
  • Arrange meatballs over the top of pasta.
  • Pour the spaghetti sauce over the meatballs in the baking dish.
  • Arrange the sliced mozzarella in a single layer over the meatballs or sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the meatballs.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 20-30 minutes.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Cook time is an approximate combined time for the meatballs, pasta and baked spaghetti. Time will vary for each home cook.
  • Frozen meatballs can be used. Heat them according to the directions on the package.
  • Recipe can be divided in half to make freezer meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 905kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 54gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 189mgSodium: 1613mgPotassium: 1200mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1134IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 378mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2

Homemade Meatball Recipes are always a big hit with the family!

Feeling lazy? You might want to check out my Crock Pot Meatball recipe. Yum! If you want to make easy Crock Pot Meatball Subs instead of spaghetti I have a meatball recipe for that also! Check out my Easy Crock Pot Meatball Sub Sandwich recipe.

More Pasta Recipes

  • Million Dollar Mac and Cheese served in a small small bowl.
    Million Dollar Mac and Cheese
  • Pasta bowl filled with Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel served with bread.
    Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
  • Instant Pot Chicken Marinara served over rigatoni pasta on a dinner plate.
    Instant Pot Chicken Marinara
  • Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce served over fettuccine with garlic sticks.
    Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
  • Share
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Bluesky

About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Antionette Blake

    April 01, 2014 at 8:17 pm

    Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic recipe - thanks for sharing yours at the #WWDParty.

    Reply
  2. Miz Helen

    March 28, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    We are going to love your Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs, this looks like a fabulous recipe! Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  3. Penny @ The Comforts of Home

    March 24, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    Sounds so good! Please share this at my Tasty Tuesday party!
    https://www.thecomfortsofhome.blogspot.com/2014/03/tasty-tuesday-4.html

    Reply
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Arlene Mobley the cook & photographer here at Flour On My Face. I have been cooking for my family for over 40 years. I love sharing recipes to help busy families get dinner on the table.

More about me →

social social social social

We Have Been Featured In

Alfredo Sauce Recipes

  • A bowl of alfredo gnocchi soup served with buttered bread.
    Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Soup
  • A bowl filled with creamy chicken tortellini alfredo on a table.
    Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
  • A creamy roasted garlic alfredo served over pasta on a green dinner plate.
    Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce
  • A large skillet full of Cajun Chicken Broccoli Alfredo.
    Cajun Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
See more Alfredo Sauce Recipes →

Cheesecake Recipes

  • cheesecake graham cracker crust pressed into a baking pan.
    Cheesecake Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
  • A single slice of apple cheesecake garnished with whip cream, caramel sauce and chopped pecans on a dessert plate.
    Apple Cheesecake
  • A slice of choclate cheesecake filling on a white dessert plate.
    Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
  • Sliced White Chocolate Cheesecake filling baked with a ladyfinger crust and garnished with whip cream, chocolate curls and berries.
    White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
See more Cheesecakes →

Breakfast Recipes

  • Serving apple fritter casserole from a baking dish with spoon.
    Apple Fritter Casserole
  • Preview collage of 4 breakfast casseroles.
    Best Breakfast Casseroles
  • A square serving piece of biscuits and gravy casserole with gravy drizzled over the top on a plate.
    Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
  • Kielbasa Breakfast Casserole in a bowl served with toast and juice.
    Kielbasa Breakfast Casserole
See more Breakfast Recipes →

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Flour On My Face is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright ©2025 Flour On My Face

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.